[discostu]

So that brings it back to why the league puts the balls back into the care of a team. And how’d the refs miss it when they were handling the balls in between plays? If the defender spotted it so easily it kind of beggars the imagination that the refs didn’t. Heard an ex-ref on the radio pointing out that the story so far has the refs alerted in the first half, giving them half time to fix it, though we don’t know if they did. But that brings up another question of if they did nothing why? And if they did then the Pats had “proper” balls for the second half when the game turned into a route. There’s a lot to wonder in why the league enforces this rule the way it does.

[mmichaels1970]

And how’d the refs miss it when they were handling the balls in between plays?

In my opinion and in pure speculation, the refs aren't exerting the kind of grip that a player does. The difference in pressure may be subtle, but possibly more noticeable when you're trying to hold on for dear life. A ref might get the ball tossed to him where he jogs over to place it on the ground.

The linebacker position has a tendency to get the reputation that they have "hands of stone". And traditionally, the joke has been that those that can't catch become defensive backs.

It is totally conceivable to me that a player who is used to passes bouncing off of his hands, chest, and head might think..."hmmm the ball seemed to be a bit softer and easier to catch that time".

[MUDDOG]

And how’d the refs miss it when they were handling the balls in between plays?

The difference between a 12.5 PSI football and a 10.5 PSI football is not easy to feel (unless you're a pro and squeezing it!)

Mike Greenberg said on his own show this morning, that he was on one of the network morning shows, and they gave him a 13.0 PSI football and a 9.0 PSI football, and even knowing there was a difference, he could barely feel it.

During a game, the refs just focus on placing the ball correctly, so they're not really feeling it carefully.

[Ransomed]

“So that brings it back to why the league puts the balls back into the care of a team.”

Maybe this is simply endemic? Like the refs normally just roll with it, and this time they didn’t, maybe because the other team complained in a big game and no one normally does? I guess I would find that hard to believe because each NFL game means so much money wise, you think the other team would complain all the time, as opposed to something like Billy Martin asking about pine tar.

Freegards